Scurling bagpipes, faithful assistance dogs, beaming assistance dog
partners, proud trainers, awe-struck puppy raisers, and eager assistance
dogs in training. What a procession we made as we walked from the
conservation authority, across the street, and down the steep hill into
Beautiful Joe Park! Pride, gratitude, and admiration tugged at our
heartstrings as we prepared to witness the unveiling of the Ron Brown
monument to assistance dogs. Ron Brown was the first Executive Director of
the Lions Foundation, a facility in Oakville, Ontario which trains guide,
hearing, and service dogs.
Plans for this day were first announced two and a half years earlier during
the unveiling of a similar monument to Sirius, and other dogs who had made
the supreme sacrifice during the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.
Since that day, volunteers had worked feverishly to raise funds for the
project, design and build the monument, and get in contact with those to
whom this day would be particularly meaningful.
Beautiful Jo Park, located in Meaford, Ontario, Canada, is fast becoming an
important venue honouring a number of groups of animals and people who
interact outstandingly for special purposes, and for the betterment of
mankind's living environment. Beautiful Jo was an Airedale, raised in
Meaford, who fell victim to an abusive master. As a pup, Beautiful Joe had
his ears and tail chopped off. Fortunately, he was rescued at a young age,
and taken care of by the Moore family, descendants of whom still occupy the
original property. The dog was later immortalized in a book by Margaret
Marshall Saunders. In 1963, the town of Meaford donated 8.5 acres of land
for the creation of Beautiful Joe Park.
When those who had participated in the procession had taken their seats, the
audience heard greetings from the mayors of both Meaford and Owen Sound, as
well as from several leaders of the assistance dog movement in Canada.
Training programs represented included the Lions Foundation, Canadian Guide
Dogs for The Blind, and C.O.P.E.-Canine Opportunity, People Empowerment, a
small service dog program based in New Lowell, Ontario. The audience also
heard congratulatory remarks from representatives of Guide Dog Users of
Canada, the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, and The
Harness, a magazine for people who use assistance dogs.
Before the ribbon was officially cut, project leader Gunter Neumann
explained that the monument was built in the shape of a semi-circle with
flowers in the middle. On one side, the stonework is in the shape of a paw.
On the other, it is in the shape of a hand.
When the formal ceremony was over, and just prior to lunch, spectators were
both entertained and educated as they watched demonstrations of the tasks
performed by guide, hearing, and service dogs.
The public is welcome to visit Beautiful Joe Park any time to pay homage to
the dogs that have been honoured there. Meanwhile, members of the Beautiful
Joe Heritage Society will busy themselves with future endeavours, which may
some day include an animal hall of fame.
The society's contact information is as follows:
The Beautiful Joe Heritage Society
16 Trowbridge Street West
P. O. Box 4836
Meaford, Ontario, Canada
N4L 1X6
Phone: (519) 538-5895
Fax: (519) 538-4291
E-Mail: beautifuljoe@bmts.com
Web site: www.beautifuljoe.org.
Reprinted with permission from the author, Devon Wilkins of The Harness, www.theharness.ca.
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